Public urged to volunteer information on missing plane as search continues

June 6, 2018 8:31 am

The plane belonging to SAX and operated by East African Safari Air Express was destined for the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi from Kitale when it went missing/COURTESY

By SIMON NDONGA, NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 6 – Search and rescue efforts for the Cessna plane that went missing on Tuesday evening with 10 people on board has resumed, with the public now urged to volunteer information that can help locate it.

The plane belonging to SAX and operated by East African Safari Air Express was destined for the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi from Kitale when it went missing.

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Aviation officials said it went off the radar shortly after 5pm and the search is now concentrating around the Aberdares forest or Ndakaini area.

A police helicopter has joined in the search, with rescuers and emergency teams on board including Pius Masai of the National Disaster Management Unit.

“Following the missing Aircraft, National Disaster Management Unit (NDMU I) appeals to Members of the public to volunteer information which may lead to quick rescue and recovery. The suspected area of search is along the route from Kitale to Aberdares , Thika and JKIA Nairobi. If any information please call 999, 911, 112 among others,” he stated.

A statement from the affected airline said that they are in the process of contacting relatives of those who were on board, with counseling centres already set up.

“The flight last was seen on radar at 14:02 this afternoon at 40 nautical miles from Nairobi, flying at 11,000ft above sea level,” the operator said.

Search and rescue teams from AAID, KCAA, KWS and other agencies were activated immediately but by Tuesday evening, they had yielded no results.

“Search & Rescue teams from AAID, KCAA, KWS and other agencies were activated immediately No results at this evening. They have paused the search tonight and shall resume at first light tomorrow morning. We shall update you regularly in the course of tomorrow as this develops,” KCAA said in a statement.